


the curse of young lovers

by merryghoul



Series: Fan Flashworks [22]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comment Fic, Community: fan_flashworks, F/M, Revisionist Fairy Tale, Sexual Content, Were-Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2012-12-11
Packaged: 2017-11-20 21:39:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryghoul/pseuds/merryghoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Huntsman could love Red...if he only had his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the curse of young lovers

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if this will be Jossed, but I'm prepared for it to be Jossed if need be.
> 
> [For portions_forfox's comment meme.](http://portions-forfox.livejournal.com/47765.html?thread=634773#t634773) Prompt and title come from Florence & the Machine's "Howl."
> 
> Fan Flashworks: apology

To the Huntsman, Red was an attractive girl who had no business being in a forest alone. But he couldn't feel anything _for_ her. Maybe he'd see something in her...if he still had his heart. The only time he'd feel it is when the Queen would squeeze it, a reminder of why he was heartless in the first place. 

Red noticed the Huntsman watching her from afar. He seemed interested and disinterested in her at the same time.

Red assumed the Huntsman was confused. She knew how to interest her in him.

 

Once the Huntsman heard a wolf's growl in the direction of Granny's house. 

The Huntsman ran to the house. He had heard of other huntsmen killing wolves near houses because they thought the wolves had swallowed the humans in the houses whole. Maybe the Huntsman could stop the wolf before he could gobble up a human. Or, failing that, he could get the wolf to vomit.

He arrived in time to see Granny throw Red's cape on the wolf. He believed the wolf ate Red and was about to eat Granny. He thought he was too late. 

Then he saw the wolf transform into Red, confused about her recent transformation.

That is, until she saw the Huntsman.

 

It wasn't hard for them to meet in the woods alone. As long as Granny or Snow didn't need anything, Red was free. As long as the Queen didn't need a pest exterminated, the Huntsman was free. 

Their relationship quickly progressed from "walking in the woods" to "sex." The only downside to "sex" was Red had to keep her cape on.

As she nibbled and licked the Huntsman's chest, she noticed she didn't feel his heart beating. _Does he love me?_ Red wondered. _What's keeping him alive? I hope it's me._

Then she let go and continued to make love to the Huntsman. If anything, sex got a response out of him. 

 

The Queen found out about the Huntsman and Red. The Mirror showed them in coitus in the woods. The Queen wasn't aroused or amused. 

"I could've had him killed after what he did for Snow," she said to the Mirror, "and he repays me with this. I even let him sleep with me. Few people sleep with me."

"I get a feeling few people sleep with you, your Majesty," the Mirror said.

"Don't rub it in my face. I don't know whether I'm hurt that the girl's an associate of Snow's or that she's a wolf."

"You _did_ take away the Huntsman's wolf." 

"Yes, and the wolf made a fine pelt. I'll be sure to wear it the next time I go to market. In the meantime, I'll show him what happens when people like him engage in…intercourse with my enemies." She shuddered.

 

The next time Red and the Huntsman met in the woods, they noticed the Queen's guards heading towards them.

The Huntsman took Red's hand and the two began to run. 

In the castle, the Queen squeezed the Huntsman's heart. He collapsed, taking Red down to the ground with him. 

"What's wrong?" Red asked.

"The Queen. She has my heart."

"The Queen? Why does she have your heart?"

"It's a long story, but it involves Snow White."

"Snow White?"

"I spared Snow White and the Queen took my heart because of it." The Huntsman groaned. "We can't be together anymore. The Queen knows. She's going to take it out on me. I'm sorry."

Red tried to pick the Huntsman up. "You can get up, Huntsman. We can outrun the Queen's guards. We can be together."

"You can't. Let the guards take me. I'll be fine, as long as the Queen doesn't destroy my heart. You can outrun them. You can live. Leave me here and go."

Red let the Huntsman fall to the ground. She took off her cape and fled. 

The Queen's guards couldn't catch the wolf, but they were able to drag the Huntsman back to the Queen's castle.

The Huntsman wanted to cry but he couldn't.

 

The night Red and the Huntsman separated was also a full moon. 

Red looked up to the moon and howled. She knew Granny wouldn't understand her affair with the Huntsman and she wouldn't approve of Red losing her cape to escape the Queen's guards. But howling was the only thing that could ease Red's pain. For her Huntsman without his heart, she'd howl forever.


End file.
